Pressure mounts on Dera chief for apology

SIRSA/AMRITSAR: Pressure mounted on Dera Sacha Sauda chief Baba Gurmeet Ram Raheem Singh to offer an apology for allegedly hurting religious sentiments of Sikhs after marathon behind-the-scene talks between him and leaders of four faiths in Sirsa.

Emerging from the talks with the Dera chief, Swami Agnivesh, who led a delegation of four religious leaders to Dera Sacha Sauda and held ten hours of talks with its head, said on Wednesday night that Sant Gurmit Ram Raheem Singh should tender an 'open hearted apology' if the situation is to improve in Punjab and other states.

Agnivesh said he would not like to comment whether it was right or wrong for the Dera head to have imitated a dress of Guru Gobind Singh, the 10th Sikh Guru.

"But it is a fact that the sentiments of the Sikhs have been hurt," he said adding, "they should come forward and apologise."

He said the marathon discussions with the Dera Chief and other officials at Sirsa, which concluded at 1am on Wednesday, centered around various issues, including the case registered against Sant Gurmit at Bhatinda recently for hurting religious sentiments and the May 27 deadline for the closure of Deras in Punjab.

Swami Agnivesh said, "I am confident that if the Dera gives an open-hearted apology, things can improve".

The issues raised by the Dera, including the Bhatinda case, can be sorted out.

Swami Agnivesh said Dera Sacha Sauda had "assured that they were with us. We were expecting the draft of a joint statement from them yesterday itself but it had not come so far. After its receipt, the issue is to be taken up with Sikh leaders, including the Akal Takht, the highest temporal and spiritual seat of Sikhs."

The four-member all religion delegation led by Swami Agnivesh held marathon discussions at the Dera headquarters at Sirsa.

First, they had around two-hour talks with Dera officials followed by around seven-hour discussions with the Dera head and other officials.

Agnivesh said the peaceful bandh in Punjab indicated that the Sikhs also wanted a peaceful resolution.

Rakesh Parkash Jain, Father Philips and Mohd Jamal Ahmed Ilyasi representing Jain, Christianity and Muslim religions, accompanied Swami Agnivesh.

Agnivesh said the Dera chief was also concerned over the deteriorating situation in Punjab and favoured taking various steps to bring peace in the neighbouring state.

SGPC chief Avtar Singh Makkar told reporters in Amritsar said his organization would take all possible steps for compliance of the religious edict issued by the five Sikh High Priests last Sunday against the Dera including closure of its centres in Punjab by May 27.

Akal Takht Jathedar Gyani Joginder Singh Vedanti said the channel of dialogue on various, including the edict on closure of Dera centres in Punjab, could be opened with the Dera if its chief came forward with a public apology for his action of allegedly having worn a dress similar to the one worn by Guru Gobind Singh.